What kind of font are you ? Which do you find most attractive ? And how can this help with your love life ?

This might sound like copy from a cheap dating website . But according to Sarah Hyndman , a British designer specializing in typography , our taste in fonts reveals more about us than we 'd expect .

`` Fonts form a kind of language of their own , and we are all unconsciously fluent in it , '' she says when I visit her studio in Hackney , north London .

`` Each font gives a different message and atmosphere , and we instinctively understand that . Typefaces have a deep significance for everyone . ''

In other words , they may reveal who we really are . And what we desire .

Smelling fonts

Hyndman recently gave a lecture at the London Design Festival that explored the complex network of associations triggered by different fonts .

By way of demonstration , she lines up three bottles on the table , next to a sample of three fonts : Comic Sans , Times New Roman and Helvetica .

As bizarre as it sounds , my job is to match up the bottles and fonts using only my sense of smell .

The first bottle , when opened , smells of bubblegum . There 's no question that this is Comic Sans . The second gives out the aroma of coffee : Times New Roman . And the last one contains a neutral , Helvetica odor .

It was surprisingly easy . `` More than 80 % of people give the same answer , '' she says . `` This shows how deeply typography is embedded in our psyche . ''

Hyndman is working with scientists at the Crossmodal Research Laboratory at Oxford University to establish the links between certain fonts and our senses , including taste , hearing and smell .

`` We 've found that rounded fonts are commonly associated with deep reds and sweet tastes , '' she says .

`` Jagged , angular typefaces evoke salty or sour tastes , and harsh sounds .

`` This may be based in evolution . When our ancestors were foraging , sweet , sugary foods were the supreme energy source . And they used all their senses to identify them . ''

Finding love

How can all of this be applied to the game of love ?

To illustrate , Hyndman takes out another collection of props : candy bags with different fonts pinned to the outside .

This time , my job is to choose the one that best reflects my personality , and the one that would represent a desirable partner .

I think for a moment , and decide that Gill Sans is the most `` me '' .

Inside the bag -- in addition to font-shaped candy -- is a description of my personality .

`` You are a traditionalist , your news comes via the BBC and you use correct grammar in texts and tweets , '' it says . `` Your ability to communicate clearly and in a friendly tone of voice will being future opportunities your way . ''

This analysis is based on the cultural context of the Gill Sans font , which was created in 1926 by Eric Gill , who was inspired by Edward Johnston 's iconic London Underground typeface .

It was quickly adopted by British Rail and Penguin Books , as well as the BBC . So the fact that I was drawn to it , apparently , indicates that I 'm an establishment kind of guy .

To which I respond : meh .

What about my ideal partner ?

I dither for a moment , then plump for Caslon . It seems elegant , characterful and balanced , somehow .

The perfect type ?

My ideal woman , I discover , has `` strong ties to -LSB- her -RSB- home but has travel in -LSB- her -RSB- future . -LSB- She -RSB- will be influential in the Americas '' . This is because Caslon , though invented in Britain in the 18th Century , became extremely popular in America .

It was Benjamin Franklin 's favorite font , and was used both on the Presidential Seal and the Declaration of Independence .

Now , my wife has no significant connections to the United States . But I do write for CNN -LRB- whose logo , Hyndman says , is `` sweet with a little bit of savory , a little twist of crunch '' -RRB- .

Perhaps my choice of fonts actually describes my employer ? Either way , it is a good idea to try out Hyndman 's online font-based personality test .

Admittedly , it 's not completely watertight . But it might just increase your chances of finding someone that is just your type .

For those interested to know more , Sarah Hyndman has launched a new series of `` Tuesday Type Tastings '' in London .

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New font-based personality quiz can help you identify your perfect partner

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British designer Sarah Hyndman believes our taste in fonts can be very revealing

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Try the test and see if you can find your type of lover